This complaint resolution procedure
applies to all programs administered by the Missouri Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education under the No Child Left Behind Act
(NCLB).

A complaint is a formal allegation
that a specific federal or state law or regulation has been violated,
misapplies, or misinterpreted by school district personnel or by
Department of Education personnel.

Any parent or guardian, surrogate
parent, teacher, administrator, school board member, or other person
directly involved with an activity, program, or project operated under
the general supervision of the Department may file a complaint. The
complaint must provide specific details of the situation and indicate
the law or regulation that is allegedly being violated, misapplied, or
misinterpreted.

Such a complaint must be in writing,
signed and filed with the De Soto School District Superintendent’s
office. The Superintendent shall cause a review of the written
complaint to be conducted and a written response to be mailed to the
complainant within ten (10) working days after receipt of the written
complaint. A copy of the written complaint and the Superintendent’s
response shall be provided to each member of the Board of Education. If
the complainant is not satisfied with the response, he or she may
submit a written appeal to the Board indicating the nature of the
disagreement with the response and his/her reasons underlying such
disagreement (Regulation 1621 – De Soto School District Policy Manual).

The Board shall consider the appeal
at its regularly scheduled board meeting following receipt of the
response. The Board shall permit the complainant to address the Board
in public or closed session, as appropriate and lawful, concerning
his/her complaint with its written decision in this matter as
expeditiously as possible following completion of the hearing.

If the issue cannot be resolved at
the local level, the complainant may file a complaint with the Missouri
Department of Education within fifteen (15) working days following
receipt of the written decision from the Board. The Department will
initiate an investigation and issue notice of the findings to the Board
and the complainant. If there is not evidence that the parties have
attempted in good faith to resolve the complaint at the local level, the
Department may require the parties to do so and may provide technical
assistance to facilitate such resolution.

Any persons directly affected by the
actions of the Department may file a similarly written complaint if they
believe state or federal laws or regulations have been violated,
misapplies, or misinterpreted by the Department itself.

Anyone wishing more information about
this procedure or how complaints are resolved may contact Dr. Trisha L.
Burkeen, Assistant Superintendent, De Soto School District, 610
Vineland School Rd., De Soto, MO 63020, (636) 586-1000 or Department
personnel.